


Ghosts From The Past- A Levi Ackerman One Shot

by Calypso_Calypso



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Manga Spoilers, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan Season/Series 03 Spoilers, Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan-Typical Violence, Shingeki no Kyojin: Kuinaki Sentaku | Attack on Titan: No Regrets, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:35:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29146035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Calypso_Calypso/pseuds/Calypso_Calypso
Summary: After Historia Reiss is crowned Queen of the Walls, Captain Levi is assigned to find the orphans living in the Underground. However, as he revisits his nightmares of the past and the death of his mother, he can only do it with Y/N, a veteran Scout and his lover, by his side.A modified one shot Y/N style chapter from my ongoing OC work: Lost and Found: A Levi Ackerman Fanfiction.Spoilers for season 3 and the Levi Ackerman OVA/manga chapters.
Relationships: Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader, Levi Ackerman & Reader, Levi/Reader
Kudos: 52





	Ghosts From The Past- A Levi Ackerman One Shot

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first one shot/imagine, let me know what you think and if you would like to see more :)

**After the Underground**

If Y/N closed her eyes, she could pretend that the world was at peace. She could forget the faces of the breathing, living human beings that she had killed that were targeting the Scouts with Kenny the Ripper as their ringleader. Even if they were on a mission to kill the Scouts, murder was something Y/N didn't take lightly. If someone had told Y/N months ago that the key to getting to Shiganshina was through a military Coup and place Historia on the thrown, she would laugh at how ridiculous that sounded. And yet here she was, helping Queen Historia run the orphanage she had always dreamed of opening. She lay in the tall grass of the farmstead, drifting off to sleep as sunlight warmed her entire body and the earthy smell of soil filled her senses, reminding her that she was alive.

Although her time in the Underground was short-lived, Y/N would never come to take the feeling of sunlight on her skin for granted ever again. 

"Y/N!" Mila, one of the orphans, screeched with laughter as she jumped onto Y/N, landing on her chest. Y/N laughed, genuinely happy to see how the young girl had transformed in a matter of days. The timid, terrified child was now beamed with life and laughter, her years in the Underground now just a distant memory as Queen Historia took her into her care. 

"Mila! What did I say about waking up the monster? I'm going to have to eat you now!" Y/N jumped to her feet, wiggling her eyebrows playfully at the little girl as she chased after her, Mila giggling as she attempted to escape. 

Levi watched from a distance, a small smile on his face. It had been two weeks since Y/N and Levi had returned from the Underground, and Y/N had insisted on staying at the orphanage to protect Queen Historia and make sure the orphans they found adjusted to their new lives. Levi couldn't deny how natural she was with children, how she dutifully would go to any length to protect the children within the orphanage walls. These children wouldn't have to endure the terrors of the Underground like Levi had, they wouldn't have to continue living in fear and pain for everything that had been stolen from them at such an early age. 

Mila ran up to Levi, hiding behind his legs squealing as Y/N chased her, a grin on Y/N's face that could light up the darkest corners of the world. While Y/N was a natural with the children, Levi was anything but. 

"Oh...hello there." Levi spoke awkwardly as the child jumped up, his eyes growing wide with a horror most titans didn't even see from Levi before their death. With an annoyed sigh, Levi picked her up as she kicked and laughed with glee. Y/N herself fought back her own laughter as she watched Levi interact with the child. He looked ridiculous, a far cry from his usual graceful yet stoic composure. 

"Alright, let's not bother Captain Levi. Do you hear that? I think Queen Historia is calling you in for dinner!" Y/N spoke with a child-like enthusiasm, inspiring an equally enthusiastic squeal from Mila as she took her from Levi's arms and placed her back down on the ground. Y/N squatted beside her, eye-to-eye with Mila, placing a hand on her shoulder. 

"Race me inside? I'll even give you a head start!" Y/N grinned as her hair lit up in the evening sun, her eyes practically glowing. She looked ethereal in every sense of the word. As the little girl ran off, Y/N stood up with a tired sigh, an easy smile on her face as she turned to Levi, taking his hands into her own. 

"Y/N, you can't stay here forever. Neither can Queen Historia. We still have to retake Shiganshina. Erwin has ordered for you to escort the Queen immediately to the capitol." Levi spoke calmly, his expression empty of any emotion in his usual manner. He hated bringing this news to Y/N, but it was his duty as her Captain. As her lover, he wanted nothing more but to give her the time she needed to heal after everything that had happened to the Scouts.

Y/N couldn't hide her disheartened expression, dropping Levi's eye contact as she stared down at his hands in hers. 

"I was afraid you would say that," She spoke quietly. Finally, she looked back up at Levi. "Sit with me? Please?" 

Levi nodded, sitting beside her on the soft grass as Queen Historia chased children into the farm house along with the other Scouts as the sun set in the distance, hiding behind the mountains. Connie, Sasha, and Mikasa struggled to carry supplies into the farm house as children jumped onto them. Meanwhile, Eren, Armin, and Jean watched from a distance, speaking among themselves. Historia yelled at the boys to pick up the slack, an order they couldn't ignore from their newly crowned queen. It was almost as if there were no titans beyond the walls, no threat against their survival. It seemed as if they had a chance at a normal life after all. This is how Y/N would choose to remember her time in the Scouts.

A cool breeze picked up, a reminder that winter was just a few months away. As Y/N shivered, Levi wrapped his cloak around her as she rested her head on his shoulder. 

"I never thought I would want to be a mother. Hell, I still don't want children of my own. It would be cruel, bringing another child into this world. Especially when there are already so many in need of families." She spoke sullenly, her eyes fixed on the children in the distance, their reflections dancing in her eyes. "I guess...I guess its nice to be able to be able to protect the children within these walls without having to fight titans." She concluded, looking up at Levi unsure of how he would react. His features grew sharper as the shadows of night grew, his face calm. Y/N had always known Levi was handsome, but Y/N had grown to believe that his soul was even more beautiful than one could fathom. 

"I suppose I can't blame you. It suits you, taking care of them. Protecting them and the Queen. " 

Y/N turned to face him, kissing Levi softly on the lips. "You don't know how long I've been waiting to do that," She whispered as she placed her forehead against his. 

"Tch. Then don't disobey orders for two weeks in a row," Levi spoke against her lips as he wrapped her into his arms, stealing another kiss. Y/N laughed, pinning Levi to the ground by his arms beneath her. It had been a long two weeks since she had last seen Levi after he went to the capitol to report back to the military summons and Y/N had stayed behind, insisting it was important for her to remain by the Queen's side. Some would view this a blatant show of disrespect, but Levi knew Y/N's heart was not misguided, a defiance he had grown to love and admire. 

"Me? Disobeying orders? Why, I would never do such a thing, Captain Levi." Here eyes glittered with mischief as she leaned over, her face hovering above his own. Right as she was about to kiss him, Levi set himself free from her grip, wrapping his arms around her waist and gently pulling her to the ground pinning her down where she had him previously. He smiled as he looked down at her, Y/N laughing beneath him.

"You make my job a headache, but I still love you. What am I going to do with you, brat?" Levi joked sarcastically.

Y/N smiled gently as stars lit up the sky above them. 

"Never stop loving me?" Y/N suggested, stealing another kiss from Levi. 

"Tch."

* * *

**Two Weeks Earlier**

"Stay close to me. The Survey Corp isn't exactly welcome here." Levi spoke, as Y/N trailed behind him in the busy streets of the Underground. Levi quickly grew uneasy down here, feeling claustrophobic in the streets he had vowed to never walk on again. They had only been down there for a few hours, and Levi was already forgetting what the warmth of the sun felt like.

Y/N didn't know what she expected to see in the Underground. Levi rarely spoke about his childhood, or what he had endured living down here in all the years Y/N had grown to know and love him. He avoided the subject at all costs, and ever since Levi found out Kenny the Ripper had been his uncle, Y/N could tell coming back here was gut-wrenching, like a dagger to the chest. As Y/N followed him along with the few other Scouts that Levi had taken with them, their mission seemed simple enough: recover the orphans and children in need. Queen Historia intended to use the money from the former nobles for a cause more noble than any title. 

Y/N reached out for Levi's hand, squeezing it discreetly in reassurance. 

"I'm by your side." She whispered so quietly only Levi could hear as they pushed through the crowds of the Underground. He flashed her a grateful look, disappearing in a matter of seconds. The Underground was no place for signs of affection. 

As they entered the tavern where they would be staying, gruff faces looked up at them, sneers and looks of disgust meeting Y/N. If the people living above ground had their history of hate with the Survey Corp, this was only amplified in the shadows of the Underground. 

"Stay in my room with me. I know you can protect yourself, but the Underground isn't safe for women. I'd feel better with you by my side." Levi spoke as the Scouts went to their separate bed chambers. Levi's expression was unreadable, but Y/N could tell he was on edge, fighting to keep his composure. 

Levi had spent years watching men mistreat his mother, treating her like nothing more than an object for their pleasure, something that would cost Kuchel her life and Levi his childhood. After the way the men in the underground had looked at Y/N with predatory lust and violence in their eyes like she was some sort prey, Levi felt his stomach twist with disgust and anger. He refused to see Y/N to come in harms way here.

Still, Levi was the one who couldn't be left alone. He never planned on returning to the Underground after he joined the Scouts. Isabel, Furlan, and Levi had promised one another to never look back the moment the sun from above hit their skin, to never return to the caverns that had caused them so much pain. There were too many painful echoes of loss in these alleys, and never had Levi thought he would return, especially without them.

Still Levi found comfort in Y/N, the only reason he still remained sane.

"Of course I'll stay with you. Your room looks like it has less rats in it, anyways." Y/N spoke gently, lifting his hand to her lips and kissing his cold knuckles as she tried to lift his spirits.

"Tch." Levi huffed in annoyance as he pulled her into his arms, planting a kiss to the top of her head. "I'm going to go debrief the rest of the Scouts, remind them of their duties. I'll meet you downstairs for dinner." 

Y/N nodded, watching as Levi walked away. She had never seen Levi like this and it worried her. 

Y/N sat in the corner of the tavern, carefully observing her surroundings. She had heard many stories from the underground, but they all paled to the reality of what she saw before her eyes. These people lived in pure and utter destitution, all hope sucked out of those who would never see the sunlight, feel the breeze on their skin. She understood why Levi rarely spoke of it.

"Unfortunately it seems like the food shipments down here haven't gotten any better," Levi spoke, as he set down a questionable bowl of gruel beside Y/N with a tall glass of ale. "They don't seem to have tea either." His face twitched in annoyance, but Y/N knew that irritation went beyond just the lack of tea and decent food.

"This will do just fine, thank you." Y/N gave him a reassuring smile and placed her hand on his forearm as he sat down beside her. 

Y/N didn't seem to hear Levi as he spoke, a scene across the tavern catching her eye. Men were grabbing for a young girl who couldn't of been older than eleven, an even younger girl who appeared to be nine yelling at them to let go. The men were disgusting, hungry sneers on their faces as one of them pulled the girl into his lap. Immediately Y/N shot up to her feet, all eyes turning to her and Levi as her wooden chair scratched loudly against the wooden floor. 

Levi grabbed Y/N's forearm. "Not now. Not here. We are outnumbered and don't have any weapons. Stand down. Wait until they leave the tavern. We can confront them outside."

Y/N ignored him, shaking off his arm. Without a word, she grabbed a dull dinner knife from a table as she walked towards the scene, slipping it up her sleeve discreetly. If the owner of the knife noticed, they kept it to themselves. 

"Take your hands off her." Y/N spoke with a terrifying calmness, her eyes sharper than any blade as she looked at the group of four men. Quickly, the room was filled with a mocking laughter. 

"You think I'm afraid of a girl from the Survey Corp? Ha! Tell you what, I'll let her go if you take her place in my lap instead. A pretty thing like you could earn more in a night with me than you could in a weeks work in the Scouts. How does that sound?" His friends hooted in laughter as the man undressed Y/N with his eyes. Before he knew it, Levi shot up to his feet, making his way to Y/N's side as anger boiled in his blood and pounded in his ears at the crude comment. No one was allowed to speak to her like that, and Levi wanted nothing more but make sure he regretted his words. If Y/N was rushing into a fight, Levi wouldn't let her do it alone.

"I dare you to speak to her like that again, Pig Shit." Levi spit out, his eyes furrowed at the man, his hands balling into fists as anger blazed like a wildfire in his eyes.

"Sorry, maybe you misunderstood me. Take your hands off the girl before you lose them." Y/N shot a quick glance to Levi, who nodded in response. Without a word, they had come to an understanding. This would not be ending without spilling blood. Y/N would rather not have it be her own or Levi's.

The man just laughed in response, one of his friends chiming into the conversation. "What do you think you and this short-" Before he could finish his sentence, Levi landed a punch to the friend's face, his nose breaking with a satisfied crunch. Y/N moved just as quickly, revealing her knife and stabbing it straight through the first man's hand, his blood splattering across her face as he screamed in pain. 

"I refuse to repeat myself a third time." Y/N's voice was nothing short of menacing as she twisted the knife in his hand, his screams growing louder as he finally released the girl from the grasp of his other arm. Hurriedly, the girl rushed forward, hiding behind Y/N as she pulled the second younger girl into her arms. 

"Well now that that's settled gentlemen," Levi spoke nonchalantly as he pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping away blood from his knuckles as his face twisted in disgust. "I trust you will make an effort to avoid crossing our paths again. Is that understood?" Despite his stature, Levi was more intimidating than any titan Y/N had come across. And yet, in that moment Y/N had never been more attracted to him. 

As the men scurried out of the tavern with a slew of cuss words following in their wake, everyone else turned back to their food, minding their own business again, not phased in the slightest. this, after all, this was a common occurrence in Underground taverns. Y/N quickly wiped the blood from her face with her sleeve before turning to the two girls.

"I'm Y/N, and this is Captain Levi. We are from the Survey Corp. I apologize, that wasn't exactly a pretty scene. I promise, you are safe now. Tell me, what are your names?"

The girls looked scared at first, but this was quickly replaced by admiration. Never had they seen a woman fight like that.

"I'm Hanna, and this is my younger sister Mila." the older girl spoke. Y/N was overcame with a desire to protect these girls no matter the cost. Quickly, Y/N composed herself. 

"Well then. Mila and Hanna. May we escort you back to your parents?" Y/N asked, smiling kindly despite the blood stains on her uniform.

The girls shared a look, unsure of what to say or what to do. 

"We...we don't have any. We wash dishes here for food-" The rest of their words melted in the background as Y/N's eyes met Levi's. 

"Well. In that case, let me treat you two to a warm meal. Would you mind sitting down with Captain Levi and I? I promise, he and I would never hurt you. We'd like to just ask you a few questions, that's all." Y/N smiled kindly. 

Without a word the starving girls nodded, eager to fill their stomachs with a warm food. 

As they sat at a secluded booth, Levi spoke to the girls for the first time as they scarfed down their food with a speed that Y/N hadn't even seen, even in the likes of Sasha. This was clearly the first time they had eaten in days as their skin hung from their bones, making Y/N's stomach tighten in heartbreak. 

"I know news can be slow down here. Have you two heard of Queen Historia?"

"The Cattle Farming Goddess!" The younger girl, Mila, exclaimed as her eyes grew wide. 

Levi's expression softened, a gentleness he reserved for children. 

"Exactly. But maybe when you meet her you should refer to her as your Queen."

Both girls stop eating, their spoons inches from their hungry mouths. 

"...When we meet her...?" Hanna asked in confusion. 

"Indeed. Queen Historia has sent us here to recover orphans from the Underground and bring them to live above ground. She has a lovely farm house and-" Y/N tried her best to explain the situation, stopping as she read the expressions of the girls before her.

Hanna's confusion was replaced with horror and anger.

"You can't take us! This is our home!"

Y/N looked over at Levi, unsure of what to say or do. Levi reached out, gently placing his hand on the forearm of the hysterical child in front of him, her boney wrist tiny under his hand. Levi gulped at the realization, painful memories of his own childhood flooding his mind. Starvation was the worst form of slow torture, and these children didn't deserve to live like this.

"Hanna, I know this may be confusing. Scary, even. I grew up in the Underground as an orphan as well. My mother got sick and died when I was young. I remember sitting next to her, in a tavern similar like this one, unsure of where my next meal would come from." Levi's eyes grew cloudy in a rare scene of emotion as he relived Kuchel's death. 

Levi paused, before continuing.

"I was much older than you are now when I finally left, but I will forever be grateful to the stranger who saved my life." Levi spoke in earnest, reflecting on his years with Kenny as well as Erwin who gave him something to fight for other than himself. "Hanna. Mila. Put your trust in me and Y/N. Let me show you the same kindness that saved my life." 

Y/N had never seen such vulnerability in Levi. Levi never spoke of Kuchel, and Y/N had never heard the story of what became of her. The only reason she had even known what her name was because late at night in a nightmare Levi would call out to her. Her death was one of the many that kept him from sleeping, refusing to see her face in a dream.

This wasn't the cold and ruthless Levi the world had come to paint him as. This was the Levi who had faced unspeakable horrors from a young age, and yet survived everything that life had thrown at him and still held onto his compassion. This was the Levi Ackerman that Y/N had fallen madly in love with. 

* * *

"Wait. You've killed how many titans?? What do they smell like??" Hanna asked in excitement as she sat in front of Y/N on her horse, Mila sitting in front of Levi as they walked through the tunnels that lead to the above ground. 

"Oh, it's not that impressive. Captain Levi here easily has over a hundred solo kills under his belt. They call him Humanity's Strongest Solider. Although, you should see how terrified he can be of dust bunnies." Y/N shot Levi a look as she smirked humorously. He rolled his eyes, but even he couldn't hide the humor in his eyes. Levi didn't realize how easy it was to talk to children. It was easier than with other adults, no ulterior motives, plotting, or hatred consuming them. 

"What is it like beyond the walls?" Hanna asked as her eyes grew wide in wonder.

"It's...It's beautiful. Scary, but breath taking." Y/N concluded, unsure of how to answer at first. Despite the loss and death she had seen beyond the walls, it also felt liberating every time she had ever stepped beyond the maps known to mankind. 

"I want to join the Survey Corp!! How do I sign up?"

Levi let out a rare chuckle, relaxing around the children.

"Well you have to join the training regiment first. Only then-" He stopped speaking as he realized the girls were no longer listening, their eyes focused on the clouds above as they finally made it out of the Underground. Hanna and Mila's jaws dropped, their faces filled with amazement as they witnessed the sun's warmth for the first time ever. 

"...It's beautiful. Just like in the stories mom told us, Mila..." Hanna's voice trailed as she watched birds fly above. 

Levi remembered when he felt this moment for the first time himself all those many years ago with Isabel and Furlan. It was like experiencing freedom for the first time ever. It was the first moment he had felt truly alive. He would never forget the first breath he took that was unclouded by the humidity of the underground. 

Levi never got a chance to properly mourn the deaths of Furlan and Isabel. After his first mission and titan kill, he closed himself off to the world, growing colder than ever before. After that day, he refused to remember their days in the Underground.

Levi snapped back to reality as Y/N reached out, squeezing his hand as she rode her horse closer to his. As their eyes met, they both smiled at each other. Y/N didn't need to say a word for Levi to know just how much she loved him. As much as Levi loved the sun and stars from the sky above, it paled in comparison to Y/N. As long as he had her by his side, he knew he could find happiness in this world. 


End file.
